• About
    • Ethics policy
    • Privacy Policy
    • Ownership, funding and corrections
    • Complaints procedure
    • Terms & Conditions
  • Contact
  • Support
  • Newsletter
Brighton and Hove News
26 February, 2026
  • News
    • Politics
    • Business
    • Opinion
    • Community
  • Arts and Culture
    • Music
    • Theatre
    • Food and Drink
  • Sport
    • Brighton and Hove Albion
    • Cricket
  • Newsletter
  • Public notices
  • Advertise
No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Politics
    • Business
    • Opinion
    • Community
  • Arts and Culture
    • Music
    • Theatre
    • Food and Drink
  • Sport
    • Brighton and Hove Albion
    • Cricket
  • Newsletter
  • Public notices
  • Advertise
No Result
View All Result
Brighton and Hove News
No Result
View All Result
Home 999

More than 200 Sussex Police cases affected by faking scandal at forensic labs

by Frank le Duc
Wednesday 22 Nov, 2017 at 4:24AM
A A
0

More than 200 Sussex Police cases are being reviewed as a result of the faking scandal involving two forensic test laboratories.

Blood, urine or other bodily samples in 27 of the cases were sent in by the force’s Road Policing Unit.

The other cases are believed to involve criminal complaints relating to sex or violence – such as rape or murder – or unexplained deaths.

Sussex is one of 42 police forces affected by the forensic testing scandal, with retesting understood to have taken place before five criminal court cases, delaying proceedings.

The retesting did not result in the cases failing or being harmed although other cases are still to come to court and remain under review.

Sussex Police said that none of the cases that it had reviewed had been dropped and no criminal convictions had been overturned.

The laboratories were run by Randox Testing Services (RTS), in Manchester, and Trimega, a company bought by RTS.

Two men have been arrested and five others have been interviewed under caution about the scandal which is thought to affect thousands of cases nationally.

The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), formerly known as ACPO (the Association of Chief Police Officers), said that so far retesting has had no consequences for cases involving sexual offences, violence or murder.

Police Minister Nick Hurd said in a written statement to MPs that tests conducted by Trimega from 2010 to 2014 could not be relied on.

And the same was true of drug tests carried out by Randox from 2014 to 2017, he said.

The scandal could also affect children, their parents and carers involved in child protection, safeguarding or even family court cases.

Hair samples are tested to check whether someone has been drinking too much or taking illicit drugs.

Brighton and Hove City Council care lawyer Andrew Pack has previously highlighted in a blog post a couple of cases where results from Trimega were found to be wrong.

In one of the cases a child could have been placed for adoption had the error not been challenged by the child’s mother.

The Randox and Trimega cases are rare examples in Britain of a problem which is far more widespread in America.

There, sometimes results were faked as forensic lab workers struggled to deal with a backlog of cases.

At other times, overzealous lab staff doctored samples or falsely recorded results to boost the prosecution’s chances of securing a conviction.

Support quality, independent, local journalism that matters. Donate here.
ShareTweetShareSendSendShare

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Most read

Helicopter lands on Brighton hospital helipad for first time

Neighbours battle over bid to scrap parking permit ban

Depeche Mode musician moves to Brighton

Coast road house could make way for block of flats

Thieves spend thousands on bank cards stolen in distraction scam at Waitrose

Transvision Vamp announce first UK tour in 35 years

More than 200 Sussex Police cases affected by faking scandal at forensic labs

Parents sign petition to save Brighton’s oldest primary school from closure

Scam parking tickets put on cars in Brighton

Family makes second bid for holiday let garden caravan

Newsletter

Arts and Culture

  • All
  • Music
  • Theatre
  • Food and Drink
Aircooled ‘Supergroup’ announce Brighton gig & new album

Aircooled ‘Supergroup’ announce Brighton gig & new album

26 February 2026
Made You Look

Made You Look Delivers A Strong Message

26 February 2026
The Undertones to bring Ruts DC to Brighton

The Undertones to bring Ruts DC to Brighton

25 February 2026
Ferocious Aussie femme DIY punk outfit R.U.B announce debut UK tour

Ferocious Aussie femme DIY punk outfit R.U.B announce debut UK tour

25 February 2026
Load More

Sport

  • All
  • Brighton and Hove Albion
  • Cricket
Brighton and Hove Albion mark Milner’s record with win at Brentford

Brighton and Hove Albion mark Milner’s record with win at Brentford

by George Sessions - PA
21 February 2026
1

Brentford 0 Brighton and Hove Albion 2 Brighton and Hove Albion marked James Milner’s record-breaking 654th Premier League appearance with...

Brighton and Hove Albion to start with four changes at Brentford

Brighton and Hove Albion to start with four changes at Brentford

by Frank le Duc
21 February 2026
0

Brighton and Hove Albion are to start with four changes at Brentford to the side that lost to Liverpool in...

Hürzeler says Brighton and Hove Albion may need to ‘win ugly’

Brighton and Hove Albion boss urges everyone to stay positive

by PA sport staff
21 February 2026
0

Brighton and Hove Albion boss Fabian Hürzeler has urged everyone involved with the club to stay positive despite the side’s...

Manager of Brighton and Hove Albion’s women team dismissed after allegations

Brighton and Hove Albion dumped out of FA Cup by Liverpool

by PA sport staff
14 February 2026
5

Liverpool 3 Brighton and Hove Albion 0 Curtis Jones’s first goal in over a year paved the way for Liverpool...

Load More
November 2017
M T W T F S S
 12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
27282930  
« Oct   Dec »

RSS From Sussex News

  • Big Farmland Bird Count extended until the weekend 24 February 2026
  • Two drug dealers jailed for eight and a half years 24 February 2026
  • Criminal case against former Sussex Police officer dismissed 22 February 2026
  • Driver arrested after man dies in crash late last night 21 February 2026
  • Ex-PM sends memo about former prince to Sussex Police 20 February 2026
ADVERTISEMENT
  • About
  • Contact
  • Support
  • Newsletter
  • Privacy
  • Complaints
  • Ownership, funding and corrections
  • Ethics
  • T&C

© 2023 Brighton and Hove News

No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Opinion
  • Arts and Culture
    • Music
    • Theatre
  • Sport
    • Cricket
  • Newsletter
  • Public notices
  • Advertise
  • About
  • Contact

© 2023 Brighton and Hove News